


Saturnalia

by PattRose



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Christmas Ritual, Gen, secret santa 2015
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-30
Updated: 2015-12-30
Packaged: 2018-05-09 15:19:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5544929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PattRose/pseuds/PattRose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blair tells Jim all about this celebration.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Saturnalia

**Title** : Saturnalia  
**Type** : Gen  
**Rating** : Gen  
**Word Count** : 478  
**Summary** : Blair tells Jim all about Saturnalia. 

 

Saturnalia

“I’m going to a festival tonight, would you like to go with me?” Blair asked Jim. 

“What kind of festival?”

“It’s called Saturnalia. It’s a wonderful celebration and I think you might find it interesting,” Blair assured him. 

“If it’s so interesting, why have I never heard of it before?” Jim wondered. 

Blair sighed. He was hoping Jim would just go along and enjoy, but of course Jim had to make it harder than it was. 

“It’s an ancient Roman festival in honor of the deity Saturn. It’s celebrated in a carnival type atmosphere. There is gambling and lots of food. In fact it was once called ‘The Best of Days’. Slaves were treated to a banquet, but the masters dined with the slaves. Although, for some time it was believed that the masters waited on the slaves for years, so for one day a year, slaves were treated differently and equally. But ultimately, this worried the masters.”

“There is gambling?” Jim asked. 

“You’re focusing on that?” Blair teased. 

“I’m focusing on some Roman tasting food and gambling. So shoot me…” Jim laughed when he saw the look on Blair’s face. 

“It’s more like a carnival, Jim. You know, like games you play to win prizes and things like that? But you have to spend money to win anything. Feel like going?”

“There’s nothing on television tonight, so yeah, I guess I’ll go along with you.”

“Gee, that’s so great of you to put me second,” Blair grumbled. 

“That came out wrong, Chief. Sorry. I would love to go to the carnival with you.”

“You’re going to be surrounded by candles, symbolizing the quest for knowledge and truth.”

“We don’t have to wear Toga’s do we?” 

“No Jim, we don’t have to wear Toga’s. They wore festive colored attire for the holiday. No one wore Toga’s for this day.”

Jim watched as Blair grabbed a bag and asked, “What’s in the bag, Chief?”

“It’s nuts for the stakes for poker. You don’t play for money, only nuts. After all, gambling ‘is’ illegal.”

“So all night we only use nuts as money?” Jim asked. 

“That’s right, so if you don’t want to go, I understand. I just sort of wanted you to get the feeling of the old Roman times and learn something new at the same time.”

“I’m still going. I think it’s going to be fun. I just wondered how much money I needed.”

Blair smiled. “I’ve got five bags of nuts. I think we’ll have plenty. Come on and I’ll tell you more about the holiday as we drive.”

“You got it, Chief. This is going to be fun.”

Blair smiled all the way to the festival. Jim was his best friend and Blair was very grateful.


End file.
